


Don't Tease the Animals

by Fenris



Category: Forever Knight
Genre: Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-07-04
Updated: 2010-07-04
Packaged: 2017-10-10 09:38:33
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/98235
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fenris/pseuds/Fenris
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Vampires and werewolves. They just never get along, do they?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Don't Tease the Animals

Nick perched on the edge of the rooftop next to the Montana Gym, bored out of his mind.

The supposed major drug deal going down in the alley tonight behind the popular workout place had utterly failed to materialize. So far, the only things passing through the alley tonight had been eight larger-than-average rats, one skinny stray dog, two cats, and one homeless person raiding the gym's dumpster for dated cans of protein shakes. Hardly a haul to impress Reese. Nick looked at his watch and sighed. It was time to pack it in and go back to the precinct to report a great big zero for this stakeout.

A breeze blew a distinctive, musky odor by him, and Nick raised his head, sniffing. It was a heavy, musky animal smell, very out of place in the city. The smell brought Nick's senses to full alert, and a soft growl vibrated deep in his throat. He looked down into the gap between the two buildings.

A large dark shape was making its way down the alley, moving cautiously from shadow to shadow. For a moment, an amazed Nick thought that a black bear had somehow wandered into the city. Then he got a better look at the animal as it stepped through a pale patch of diffused street light.

It was an immense dog, its dark coat, pricked ears and wolfish brush giving it the look of a dire wolf---or at least of the painted representations Nick had seen. A fresh whiff of the animal's scent reached Nick and his eyes widened a bit as memory clicked into place and he realized what kind of a canine he was watching.

He watched, eyes riveted on the creature as it paced down the alley, pausing here and there to investigate a piece of trash or a crumpled, grimy rag. It suddenly picked its head up and cast about, sniffing loudly. Nick remained utterly still, no longer the least bit bored.

A low growl issued from the shaggy throat, then the creature continued down the alley until it reached its goal; the row of trash cans beside the gym's back door.

Seemingly unaware of its audience, the huge canine sniffed first one garbage can lid, then another, like a wine taster comparing bouquets. It settled on one particular receptacle and reared up on its hind legs, placing its broad front paws almost delicately against the can and giving it a shove.

Clang! The garbage can tipped over, spilling its ripe cargo across the grimy asphalt. The huge wolf burrowed its head into the newly unveiled mess, growling softly to itself.

Nick watched from his perch at the edge of the roof, fascinated. He levitated silently up off the roof and moved out over the alley. Enthralled, he hovered above the animal, intent on its every move, then descended down into the alley toward the rooting canine.

Nick could have sworn he made no noise while leaving the roof, but as he started down the creature withdrew its head from the pile with a jerk, bits of grapefruit peel and fruit smoothie mix wrappers dribbling off its massive shaggy head.

It looked around, then its head swiveled up and its eyes fixed on the slowly descending vampire. Black lips peeled back from prodigiously large white fangs, and the wolfish creature growled, baring a mouthful of sharklike teeth at the descending vampire in something that looked like a smile, but wasn't. Nick paused in midair to consider this, his eyes narrowing.

The wolf padded in a small, tight circle, looking up at him, its muzzle wrinkled in a silent snarl. Reddish eyes gleamed up into Nick's amber gaze. It lowered its haunches, and for a moment Nick thought it was sitting down. Then it roared and leaped up toward him, impossibly high and fast. Only his own preternatural speed saved Nick, as he gasped and flew straight up. The massive jaws snapped shut with an almost metallic ring where his face had been just an instant before. It dropped back to the ground, leaving its dark, smoky animal scent mingled with rotting citrus behind to fill the hovering vampire's nostrils.

Nick's own lips peeled back, revealing sharp fangs, and he growled as the rank scent raised the fine hairs on the back of his neck. Below, the huge canine paced back and forth, growling back at him, blazing ochre eyes promising to rend Nick into bite-sized pieces if it could only get hold of him.

An evil smile slowly spread over the blonde vampire's handsome face, and he floated down slightly, almost purring. He suddenly felt the urge to see how high this creature could really jump...

Nick floated in the air, smiling down at the wrinkled muzzle framing gleaming fangs much larger than his own. The wolf crouched, then made another extraordinary leap, soaring a good twenty feet up into the air, its white teeth clacking shut like a beartrap a scant few inches from Nick's foot. Nick chuckled as it dropped back to the ground, his chuckle becoming a soft laugh as a truly bloodcurdling snarl bubbled up from the deep shaggy chest.

He rolled over and turned his head slightly to the side to keep the beast in his peripheral vision, and dangled a hand below him. The animal made no visible crouch or preparation to jump, but Nick's keen hearing caught the scrape of claws as it attempted to jump straight up without telegraphing its intentions. As if by accident, Nick brought his hand up out of harm's way just before the massive jaws closed on it, wiry hairs brushing his fingertips as he did.

Slowly, Nick brought his hand up to cover his mouth and yawned, stretching with lazy, insolent grace in midair, arching his back and rolling his head from side to side. The snarls and rumbling growls beneath him increased in volume, and he heard claws clicking as the big wolf trotted back and forth under him, looking for some way to get within jaws' reach of this flying annoyance.

Nick rolled over and floated lazily in the air, ignoring the occasional breeze fanning him from below as the enraged lupine made leap after leap for its tormentor. Finally the attempts stopped and it stood below him, panting, gazing up at him with undiluted hatred. Nick rolled over and grinned down at it. Jaws dripping, it glared back venomously, exhausted.

Growling, it turned around and padded sullenly to the dumpster. As the gleeful vampire watched curiously, it snarled up at him one last time then scrambled under the dumpster and out of sight.

Well. That certainly threw cold water on the party. Cupping one hand to his mouth, Nick called down "Wimp!" and grinned at the low growl that issued from under the dumpster. He flew up and away from the alley, feeling rather satisfied with himself. He doubted that the big gray brute would feel like doing anything more strenuous than padding home and going to sleep after that fine workout.

He was perhaps a hundred yards away from the alley when an agonized scream rent the air, stopping Nick in midflight. He whirled, muttering, "Oh, no."

It was a man's scream, full of pain and terror. Another followed, mingled with a hideous snarl, then the night was silent. Nick arrowed back toward the alley, cursing himself for not leading the creature completely away from the buildings or finding some way to kill it.

He landed and sped into the alley, eyes blazing and fangs bared. A man dressed in a muscle shirt and gym shorts lay about halfway down the alley unmoving, face down. Nick caught the scent of blood mixed with the heavy animal scent pervading the alley. The huge wolf was nowhere to be seen.

Landing, he hurried toward the fallen man, breathing a word of thanks as he heard the man's heart still beating.

_At least he's alive. I have to get him out of here, before that thing decides to come back._

Very aware that the creature might be hiding close by, ready to charge, he knelt down by the prone man and reached out to lightly shake his shoulder. He started to gently roll the man over.

"Are you all right? I'm a policeman, sir. Are you injured, can you move? We have to get you away from here--"

Something hard slammed into the side of his head. The world went black and Nick rolled on his back, dazed. He was vaguely aware that the prone man was now up and on his feet, crouching down over him. Before he could scramble his wits or senses together enough to do anything, the figure leaned down and he felt a burst of hot breath on the side of his face as a deep, harsh voice growled "Asshole!" in his ear.

His eyes began to clear as the man stood back up, and Nick saw he was holding a large chunk of wood in one hand. The man snorted and dropped the wood to the pavement next to Nick's head. As he sauntered away, Nick heard him snarl,

"*God*, I hate vampires!"

Another wave of nausea washed over Nick and he closed his eyes, waiting for the injury to his head to heal. Bright lights flickered and danced on the insides of his eyelids. He heard the man's heavy footfalls become the clicking of blunt claws, then the rhythm of loping paws.

A whoosh of displaced air heralded the arrival of another vampire in the alley. Without looking, Nick knew who it was. Groaning, Nick sat up slowly, holding his head with both hands, struggling to keep from throwing up on himself, or even worse, on the legs of the other vampire who now stood at his side. LaCroix really hated being thrown up on.

"Nicholas?"

His sire, summoned by a sudden burst of shock and pain from his son, was standing looking down at Nick, brows furrowed. Seeing that Nick was not in any immediate danger of dying, he looked around, searching for any clues as to what might have happened. Keen amber eyes darted up and down the alley and found nothing.

LaCroix looked down at Nick again, puzzled, the yellow light in his eyes fading. He extended a long pale hand down to help his son to his feet. Nick groaned again, looking up at his sire. He took the proffered hand and snarled, "I *hate* werewolves!"

The old vampire chuckled, hauling him to his feet and slipping an arm around his waist to steady him.

"I've told you for almost six hundred years not to tease them now, haven't I, mon fils?"


End file.
